Derby City Council to cut 500 jobs to save £20m

The city council currently has a workforce of more than 9,500

Up to 500 more jobs could be cut in the next financial year by Derby City Council, the authority has confirmed.

The council said savings of £20m had to be made in 2012/13.

Philip Hickson, leader of the council, said: "We are left with no alternative due to the continuing impact of reduced funding."

Earlier in 2011, 465 workers took voluntary redundancy at the council, run by a Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition.

Further savings

The city council currently has a workforce of more than 9,500.

Adam Wilkinson, the council's chief executive said: "Our financial position continues to challenge us and each of the five directorates has worked hard to find the £20m of savings for next year.

"We really have no alternative but to reduce our staffing numbers.

"I am hopeful that we can reduce them by voluntary means and to do so we are offering the most attractive and affordable voluntary redundancy package we can."

Mr Wilkinson said compulsory redundancies would not be necessary if enough people chose voluntary redundancy.

Management and trade union representatives will continue to meet weekly to discuss the situation, the council said.

Moz Greenshields, assistant branch secretary of Unison, said the union did not accept the need for government-driven budget cuts.